The restauranteur behind sublime restaurants such as KOYN, Bombay Bustle and MiMi Mei Fair is to open a new restaurant with a Michelin starred chef. And this will be in Mayfair too.
Samyukta Nair has paired up with chef Claude Bosi of Chelsea's Bibendum to create Socca, which will open on South Audley Street in February 14 - a great Valentine's Day option if you can grab a table.
Socca will be a bistro that that sings the praises of the French Riviera and the sunkissed coastal towns of Cannes, Marseille and Nice. It's also the first foray by the pair.
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Like Samyukta's other venues, Socca's interiors will be well considered and flawlessly executed.
The dining room will feature warm timber paneling, hand painted stucco walls with blue and white motifs in homage to the French Fauvist painter Roaul Dufy. There's also deep navy booths and banquette seating, as well as a marble raw bar loaded with fresh Mediterranean seafood.
Complementing the dining room, the adjacent timber lined bar comes with a floral black and white mosaic floor and oxblood leather bar stools.
A second dining room is found beyond the bar, and this one is covered in a hand-painted mural and can be screened off to become a private dining space for up to 10 people.
The kitchen will serve simple seasonal fare inspired by Claude's nostalgia of long summer family lunches. The frequently changing menu will include the likes of globe artichokes and ortiz anchovy dip; puy lentil salad with confit shallots and sherry vinegar; and Mediterranean octopus, harissa, preserved lemon and parsley.
Pasta will also feature prominently on the menu, with blue lobster orecchiette and shellfish rice tipped to become crowd pleasers, while for meaty dishes think regional French classics such as tripe and cuttlefish gratin, pied paquets marseillaise as well as beef cheeks and veal cutlets.
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With the likes of creme brulee and tourte aux blettes for dessert, the meal's final course will be traditionally French.
Socca will open February 14.
Address: 41 South Audley Street, W1K 2PS
Website: soccabistro.com
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